


open up again i believe in second chances

by cappuchoni



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Cults, F/F, Family Bonding, Forgiveness, Protective Toni Topaz, Redemption, Rescue, the Farm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-10
Updated: 2019-03-10
Packaged: 2019-11-15 03:24:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18065669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cappuchoni/pseuds/cappuchoni
Summary: Betty is running out of ideas, but she knows she has to do something to save her mom, her sister, and the twins from the Farm. She turns to the one person who may be able to help, but in doing so she will need to swallow her pride and make things right. After all she wants to put her family back together, her entire family.orBetty goes to Cheryl to ask her to help talk some sense into Polly.





	open up again i believe in second chances

**Author's Note:**

> *disclaimer* I am by no means an expert on cults. I don't know the proper way to convince people to leave. This is probably riddled with inaccurate information/approaches since my background limited to various Google searches. This is more of a wish fulfillment of what I wish the show would do, especially since Cheryl has had no interaction with her niece and nephew.
> 
> Sorry if this is terrible... I've basically second guessed every aspect of it at some point. But here it is, whatever it is...
> 
> Set after 03x14 Chapter Forty-Nine: Fire Walk with Me

Knocking echoed through the walls of Thistlehouse. Pounding really. Whoever was at the door was determined to get someone’s attention.

Toni made her way down the stairs towards the source of the incessant noise. When she opened the door she let out an exasperated sigh upon being greeted by one of the _last_ people she wanted to deal with.

“What do you want, Betty?”

The blonde adjusted her pink jacket as she tried to straighten her posture, feeling slightly intimidated by the shorter girl. She knew coming here was a long shot, but she needed help and was running out of options. “Hello to you too, Toni. Is Cheryl home?”

“And I should let her see you why exactly?” Toni rolled her eyes, wanting nothing to do with the faux Serpent Queen before her.

“Please? It’s really important. I wouldn’t be here otherwise.”

“Did your boyfriend send you?”

Betty shook her head without hesitation, “No. This isn’t about him or the Serpents. Now, please, can I talk to Cheryl?”

Toni exhaled in frustration as she stepped out of the way and let Betty cross through the threshold. “She’s in the sitting room. Follow me,” she instructed with annoyance dripping from every word she spoke.

The two walked silently through the house towards the room Cheryl resided in. The redhead was perched on one of the couches, drawing pad in hand, as she worked on her latest sketch. Her attention perked at the sound of footsteps approaching, “TT, who was at the door?” She looked up from her work to see Betty standing awkwardly in the door frame. “Oh, hello, cousin.”

“Betty has something to talk to you about apparently.”

Cheryl gave a shy smile, “What did you need to talk about?” She adjusted herself to make room on the couch besides her and motioned for Betty to sit.

Toni leaned against the wall cautiously watching the interaction, ready to throw Betty out at a moment’s notice. She didn’t trust the blonde, not when it came to Cheryl. The pink haired girl had heard stories of how Betty only seemed to come around when she needed something and even seen it with her own eyes a few times.

“Right,” Betty said as she walked over to the couch and took a seat. She glanced at Toni but quickly averted her eyes upon seeing the rage radiating from the former Serpent. “I think I should start by apologizing.”

Toni scoffed and rolled her eyes.

“Whatever for, dear cousin?” Cheryl asked, faking ignorance. She knew the blonde had many things to apologize for, but she tried to not dwell on them since the girl sitting next to her was one of the few blood relatives she could still consider family.

Betty took a deep breath before starting, “I don’t know where to begin, Cheryl. I’m sorry for upsetting you at your, I guess _our,_ uncle’s funeral. I’m sorry for always coming to you for help but never really being there for you. I’m sorry about what happened with the Serpents, to both of you.” She took a moment to glance at Toni before turning back to Cheryl. “I’m sorry for… for blackmailing you with that tape… I…”

“Wait, what tape?” Toni asked.

Cheryl squirmed uncomfortably in her seat. “Not now, Toni, please.”

“What tape, Cheryl? Betty, what the hell did you do?” Her voice rose with each word.

“Please?” Cheryl spoke, her voice small. “I’ll tell you later, okay?”

Toni gritted her teeth and narrowed her eyes, her gaze fixated on Betty, “Fine.”

“Cheryl, I’ve been a terrible cousin, and an even worse friend. I never even checked on you after what happened at Sweetwater River. I have _no_ right coming here now, but I…” tears began to pool in her eyes. Desperation was apparent upon her face as she looked to Cheryl pleading, “I need your help again.”

“Bullshit,” Toni said, her word punching the air as she spoke. “You aren’t buying any of this are you, Cher?”

“I…” Cheryl looked between her girlfriend and cousin, at a loss of what to do. “I want to hear what she has to say.”

“Before I tell you,” Betty spoke before Toni had a chance to say anything else, “please forgive me? I know I don’t deserve it, but lately I’ve been thinking about just how important family is, and I want us to be okay, Cheryl. I need us to be okay.”

“Of course, Betty. We’re fine,” Cheryl replied sincerely. She did her best to fight back the tears already threatening to fall. Never in her imagination would she have expected this. Betty had hurt her time and time again, but not once had the blonde tried to make amends. Now here she was, begging for forgiveness. She hoped Betty’s motives were pure. Perhaps she should have waited to forgive her until she heard what Betty needed, but in that moment she only felt a sense of family that she had been looking for since the moment she learned they were related. “Thank you. I don’t think I can express how much your words meant.”

“I’m glad, and thank you. I don’t deserve a second chance to be your family, and I will do my best to not let you down again.”

“Unbelievable.” Toni rolled her eyes once more, not believing Cheryl could be so quick to forgive all the crap Betty had put her through, and apparently there was even more than she had known.

“Continue, cousin,” Cheryl prompted Betty, ignoring her miffed girlfriend.

“It’s about my mom and Polly. They’re brainwashed by this cult, the Farm. I’m sure you’ve seen Evelyn recruiting at school. It’s  _dangerous_. Last night I saved my mom from drowning in some ritualistic baptism. I don’t know how to get them out of there. I’m so scared, Cheryl. I need your help to get my mom, Polly, and the twins out of there.”

The redhead was alarmed. Her eyes grew wide, “Jason’s babies are in danger?”

“I don’t think they’d hurt children, but I honestly don’t know what they are capable of,” Betty explained.

“Whatever you need Betty, Toni and I will help. Do you need us to deploy the Poisons?” Cheryl turned to Toni, “With your order of course, TT.”

“Cheryl, can I talk to you for a minute. Upstairs?” Toni asked, getting leaving the room before receiving an answer. Cheryl followed her to their bedroom, closing the door behind them.

“Are you really going to trust her, Cheryl? She’s with Jughead. She’s never done a nice thing for you in her life, and now all of a sudden she wants to be a family? I don’t buy any of this!” Toni

“Even if she isn't sincere, and I know there is a chance of that, I have to help her. I have to help her for Jason. It's what he'd want me to do.”

Toni exhaled in defeat, “Of course. For Jason. But don't for a second think I'm helping for her.”

“I wouldn't dream of it, TT” Cheryl turned to make her way back downstairs, but Toni stopped her just as her hand reached the door knob.

“I want to know about the tape, Cheryl.”

With a shaky breath Cheryl answered, “I… I don't think you do. I'm scared of what you'll do if you know.”

“Tell me.”

“The-there’s a tape… of JJ’s death… of my father… I've seen it,” Cheryl explained, tears starting to fall down her cheeks. “Betty… when FP was in prison… they needed _my_ testimony to get him released. I didn't want to help… and she… she blackmailed me… if I didn't help… she was going to release it… to everyone.”

Toni's eyes widened as rage filled her. “I'm going to kill her,” she pushed past Cheryl and out of their bedroom.

“Wait,” Cheryl called after her. “Toni, stop!”

“Cooper!” Toni bellowed as she bolted down the stairs. “I have some words for you.”

Betty, sensing what this was about, jumped from the couch, “Toni, I apologized. It's in the past, ple-”

Toni’s palm made contact with Betty’s face, the sound of the slap echoing through the halls of Thistlehouse.

The blonde’s hand flew to her cheek, clutching it in hopes to lessen the sting. She looked to Toni as her eyes began to water. “I… I deserved that.”

“Toni!” Cheryl came running into the room and pulled Toni back before she could do anything else. “Hitting people is not okay!”

“I'm in a gang. I hit people all the time.” Toni snarled, her gaze fixed on Betty. “So do you for that matter,” she added thinking back to Cheryl using the Poisons against Sweet Pea and Fangs.

“Not my family, and not in my house.”

“If you _ever_ hurt her again,” Toni threatened, ignoring Cheryl's words.

“I w-won't, I swear it,” Betty answered, sniffling back tears. “I regret everything. I really am sorry.”

“And Toni is sorry for hitting you,” Chery added. “Right?”

Toni remained silent.

“Right, TT?”

“Fine. Sorry,” she answered insincerely. Betty nodded, seeming to accept that it was the best she was going to get. “So, what exactly are we dealing with?” Toni asked, changing the subject before either other girl had a chance to respond.

“I guess I should start at the beginning. This could take a while.”

“Before we get started let me get some refreshments. It sounds like we have some serious brainstorming to do. Coffee or tea, perhaps?”

“Let me help,” Betty said as she followed Cheryl into the kitchen.

Toni flopped down in her usual spot to wait for them to return. She was incredibly skeptical about the situation they now found themselves in. Betty had used Cheryl in the past, and after finding out about the tape Toni would much rather strangle the blonde than help her. But help her she would, for Cheryl.

Roughly ten minutes later the girls returned to the sitting room with freshly brewed coffee in hand.

“Here you are, babe. Just the way you like it,” the redhead said as she handed Toni her mug. She sat down next to her girlfriend and took a sip from her own. “Betty started filling me in on the Farm. She painted quiet a different picture than Jason. I can’t imagine he knew.”

“Back when Polly first went there it sounded like a safe haven, but over time they’ve gotten their claws in deeper. She tried to drown my mom. I got there just in time. She had been standing there, holding her under the water until she went limp. That’s not Polly.”

“Sounds like conditioning,” Toni observed. “They remove them from their families when they are emotionally vulnerable and eventually dehumanize them. Terrorists do it too.” Cheryl and Betty both stared at her. “What? I watch a lot of crime documentaries and cults are interesting. Not when your family is in one obviously.”

“What else do you know?” Cheryl asked her girlfriend.

“Well they can be for a variety of reasons. There are religious cults, political cults; this one seems like some sort of self help related one from what I’ve heard around school.  They tend to operate based on deception and intimidation.”

“Kevin and Evelyn did threaten me not to go public with what I’ve found out. They said they’d make public all of the information my mom told the Farm. Apparently there are ‘no secrets’ among the members,” Betty interjected.

“Makes sense, it gives them material to keep you there if you ever try to leave,” Toni acknowledged. She took another drink of her coffee before continuing, “They are supposed to have a charismatic leader, and what I’ve seen from Evelyn she is _not_ it, but everyone seems to love her dad. Edgar right?” Betty nodded. “Another sign is everyone in it seems to be constantly happy and enthusiastic, like they are always recruiting. They are instantly your best friend. Oh and they ask for your money and try to make you dependent on them. Like it would be impossible to survive without their help if you decided to leave.”

“My mom took my college fund and gave it to them. That’s how they could afford to purchase the Sisters of Quiet Mercy building. And she just sold the house. Apparently we’re all supposed to go live there now together.”

“Under no circumstances are you or any other member of my family living in this hell-mouth. If necessary you can stay at Thistlehouse with us.”

Toni looked at Cheryl disapprovingly. There was no scenario she could imagine where she would be okay living under a roof with Betty fucking Cooper.

“Thank you, Cheryl. Hopefully that won’t be necessary. I’m hoping after the buyers see the charred remains of the living room they’ll withdraw the offer.”

“Charred?” Toni asked curiously.

Betty face reddened. “I may have taken a page out of Cheryl’s book,” she admitted.

“Consider me impressed, cousin. But, as satisfying as that moment was I do not recommend setting anymore fires. I do have regrets about what I did. A lot of good memories went up in flames, not just the bad ones.”

Toni knew Cheryl was referring to Jason’s belongings. The redhead had cried over it multiple times to her, wishing she had at least saved some of his things before dropping the candelabra that night. She gave her girlfriend’s hand a gentle squeeze before addressing the room again, “It’s not going to be easy getting them out of there, Betty. They probably won’t want to come with us.”

“Not to mention whatever information they used against you. I still can’t believe they managed to get to Kevin,” Cheryl reflected. “We have to help him too.”

“Definitely, I’m not about to let him stay in there either. I want to take the whole thing down. I think that’s the only way to really protect everyone, but for right now the goal is getting my mom, Polly, and the twins out of that building.”

“So what do you need us for?” Toni asked. “You have the Serpents around your little finger with Jughead in charge. It’s not like you need muscle.”

“I’m not here to ask the Poisons for help, Toni. I need help that only Cheryl can provide.”

“What is it you need me to do?”

“Jason found the Farm,” Betty explained. “I think you may be the only person who can break through to her. She won’t listen to me, but maybe she’ll listen to his sister.”

Cheryl nodded, “I’ll do my best. It’s what he would have wanted, but we’ll need a way in.”

“I’ve broken in there before. I’m sure I can manage again.” Toni gave Cheryl a crooked smile.

“And for transportation? We won’t be able to fit everyone in my car,” the redhead inquired.

“Already worked out,” Betty answered. “Our favorite entrepreneur already agreed to loan us her delivery truck for the evening.”

 

“I'll keep the engine running; you three go,” Veronica said as she put the delivery truck into park outside the former Sisters of Quiet Mercy. Once Cheryl, Toni, and Betty exited the vehicle, Veronica drove off to park in the back of the lot away from the eyes of any Farmies out for a late night stroll.

“I'm going to scout the perimeter. Can you two be civil long enough to find us a way inside?” Cheryl asked, clearly over the tension radiating between her girlfriend and cousin.

Betty nodded her head, “I have no issues, Cheryl. We'll be fine.”

“That was more directed to Toni, but I'm glad to hear it, cousin. I'll be back,” she adds before running off, bow in hand.

Toni rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated sigh before motioning Betty to follow her. “Come on, let's see if find an unlocked door or something.”

“I'm actually able to pick locks if we need to,” Betty revealed.

“Consider me surprised.”

The two located the delivery entrance in back and decided it would be the best place to enter give given the tunnels had been sealed off months earlier. Betty knelt down in front of the steel door and pulled a bobby pin from her hair.

“Keep an eye out. I haven’t done this many times so I’m not sure how quick it’ll be.”

Toni nodded as her eyes scanned the woods behind them. “How many times am I going to have to break into this god forsaken building? The things I do for this family.”

“Oh don't act like you don't want to be part of it some day, Topaz.”

Toni froze, blush spreading across her cheeks.

“W-what do you mean?”

“I think you know exactly what I mean,” Betty states as she glances over her shoulder with a wink. “There's no harm in admitting it.”

“It's um… it's too soon to ya know… I,” Toni stumbled over her thoughts, seemingly unable to think of a good response.

Betty turned back to her with a knowing smile, “When you know you know. I'm not suggesting you pop the question or anything; we _are_ still in high school. But you'd have to be pretty stupid to not see what's between you two. You bring out the best in her ya know?”

“She does the same for me, but…” she sighed. “I don't know why I'm telling you this of _all_ people. We've been having problems. Arguing. But that's just not us, ya know?”

“So the honeymoon phase is over,” the blonde shrugged. “Couples fight, Toni. Hell they even sometimes break up and get back together. Jughead and I did, and I like to believe that made us stronger. Don't let a few bumps scare you from imagining a future with the woman you love.”

“God I love her,” the pink haired girl smiled. “She's fucking infuriating sometimes, but I don't want to live my life without her.”

“Then that's all you need to know, isn't it?” Betty smiled before resuming her lock picking.

“Did you find a way in yet?” Cheryl asked upon making her reappearance. “I didn't see anyone outside, no guards. We should be fine if we can get in and out of the building undetected.”

“Great news, and I just… about… have it,” the door clicked upon on Betty's last word and the three girls slipped inside.

“Any idea where we need to go?” Cheryl asked in a hush tone.

“Yes, Polly's quarters are this way. My mom showed me when I received the ‘tour of our new home’ last week.”

Betty led them down a series of hallways. Each girl did their best to ignore the memories flooding back as they made their way deeper into the facility. No one tried harder than Cheryl, who could feel tears threatening to fall. The smell seemed to trigger her more than anything, being she had never seen much outside of the lower level.

Toni, sensing her discomfort, grabbed her hand tightly. “I’ve got you, okay? You’re safe.”

The redhead nodded, and Toni gave her a reassuring smile.

“In here,” Betty whispered as they reached the room she had been leading them to.

“Betty, what are you doing here?” Polly asked in confusion as soon as she saw her younger sister appear behind the now opened door. “And Cheryl? What's going on?”

“We’re here to take you home,” Betty explains. “Where's mom?”

“For the last time, the Farm _is_ my home.”

The younger blonde looks to Cheryl for assistance.

“Polly, please come with us?” Cheryl asks. She walks over to kneel in front of the bed Polly was sitting on. “Come be with your family.”

“This is my family, Cheryl.”

“No, Betty is your family. I am your family. This place is not your family, Polly.”

Polly didn't say anything. She simply stared at her cousin, giving a look of pity and disapproval.

Realizing she wasn't going to get a verbal response, Cheryl continued, “Think of Jason, Polly. What would he have wanted?”

“Jason led me here, Cheryl. This is what he wanted for his family,” Polly insisted.

“Polly, no,” Cheryl countered. “There's no way my brother wanted this life for you. Not if he knew what it was.”

“We’re safe here. Edgar is taking good care of us all. The twins are with him as we speak.”

“Oh god,” Cheryl looked to Betty in panic.

“Polly, you need to get Juniper and Dagwood, and bring them back here. Please, I know you trust him, but I have proof. I have talked to people who escaped from here. It isn't what you think. People have _died_. Polly, you almost killed mom!” Betty pleaded, trying to reason with her.

The memories of the baptism came to Polly’s mind and for a second Betty believed they were getting through to her. Whatever brief glimmer of hope she saw was erased a moment later; however, as Polly’s walls returned.

“Mom was safe,” she rebutted.

“She wasn't, Polly. I gave her CPR. You watched me save her life.”

The elder sister shook her head, “No, because they wouldn't have done that if there was any real danger. I did went through it and…” her thoughts trailed off.

“Where did you go, Polly? What are you remembering?” Betty asked.

“The water… I remember… it was in my lungs. I… no, _no_ , that was my rebirth. Birth is a painful experience.”

Cheryl looked up at Toni, desperate for some sort of help. She felt as helpless as Betty.

“Hi, Polly,” Toni spoke, breaking the silence. “We haven't met, but my name is Toni. I'm Cheryl's girlfriend.”

Polly's gaze went to Cheryl, processing the new information. She hadn't learned of her cousin’s sexuality before that moment. The eldest girl blinked and shook her head before turning her attention back to Toni. “H-hi, nice to meet you.”

“You see, I care about her more than I can even express with words. She's my world. And ever since Betty came to us for help all Cheryl's cared about is getting to you and the twins. She loves you all a lot. She wouldn't be here if she didn't. You may be cousins, but I know the biggest reason she loves you is because Jason loved you.”

A single tear escaped from Polly's eyes as she continued to listen to Toni's words.

“Cheryl will do anything to protect the people she loves. I know things didn't go right that summer; Jason was supposed to run away with you. You were going to be a family.

“I don't know if you realize this but before me, Cheryl only had him. Jason was the only person who was there for her, and she gave him to you. She wanted to make him happy,” Toni sat down on the bed and took Polly's hand. “You're what made him happy, Polly. You and just the idea of two babies. He was leaving his sister for _you._ He wanted to give you the world, because you were his. Just like his sister is mine.

“He wouldn't want this for you. the Farm was meant to be a place to get your affairs in order before you guys found a _real_ home. He would have wanted you to have a yard for the kids to play in. And a dog. And… a big swing set in the backyard for him to push them on until you called that it was time for dinner. And he'd want you to have your dream career. He'd be so proud of you watching you climb whatever corporate ladder. He'd brag on you to every one of his friends.

“And he'd want his sister there. He was coming back for her, ya know? You guys were going to be a family together. You, Jason, Juniper, Dagwood, and Auntie Cheryl. This girl right here, the one you're saying doesn't know what Jason would want? She was his soulmate. You may have been the love of his life, but if there is a single person on this earth who knows what Jason would have wanted for you it's her. Listen to her, Polly.”

Cheryl wiped away her tears as she looked to Polly with pleading eyes, hoping something Toni said got through. “Please…”

Polly took a deep breath and alternated looking at each teenager before her, “I… I need… you're… I'm… I'm going to go get the twins.”

Betty exhaled, clearly shaken up. She nodded, “We’ll be right here.”

“Right. After I bring them back I'll find mom. I… I don't know if I believe you… but I know one thing. Jason would want me to listen to Cheryl.”

 

It took some convincing, but Alice ultimately decided to leave with Polly and the others. Neither woman would go as far as to denounce the Farm, still struggling to believe anything besides them having their best interest at heart.

Tomorrow would be another battle, but for now Betty and Cheryl could breathe easier knowing Alice, Polly, and the twins would be sleeping at home in their own beds instead of within the prison formerly the home of the Sisters of Quiet Mercy.

Veronica and Toni sat in the cab while Cheryl and the Cooper family was huddled in the back of La Bonne Nuit’s delivery truck. Toni filled Veronica in on what happened while they were inside, skimming over the part that rendered everyone in tears.

“You did good, Topaz.”

“Just trying to be a supportive girlfriend,” Toni shrugged.

“You and I both know it's more than that.”

The pink haired girl rolled her eyes. “Why is everyone making comments like that tonight? First Betty and now you.”

“Oh? And what did she say, pray tell?”

“Nothing important.”

“I'm sure it was nothing at all,” she said with a knowing glance.

“Shut up.”

 

Betty and Toni stood in the doorway to the Cooper’s living room watching Cheryl and Veronica playing on the floor with Juniper and Dagwood.

“Thank you again for helping tonight. I know you didn't want to,” Betty said low enough as to not be heard by the girls across the room.

Toni shrugged, “I did it for her, not for you. I'd do anything for her.”

“I know. I'm really glad she has you, Toni.” Her voice was sincere, and the comment brought a smile to Toni's face.

“Ya know, Cooper, maybe you're not as terrible as I've been telling myself.”

“Thank you?”

“I just mean thank you, I guess. You apologized to Cheryl and seem to really want to make things right. Without you she wouldn't be playing with those kids right now. She never really said it directly, but I knew how desperately she wanted to meet them.”

Betty hung her head and fiddled with her hands, “Both things that should have happened a long time ago.”

“The past is the past,” Toni responded, glancing at Betty with a smirk. “But if you hurt her again I will end you.”

“Scouts honor,” Betty replied holding up her hand. Both girls laughed under their breath. “I meant it when I said I wanted a second chance at being a family.”

“I believe you. Well, I believe you _now._ I had some doubts before,” Toni explained honestly.

Betty pursed her lips and nodded. “Hey Toni? I just want you to know that I'm going to talk to Jug. I'm not sure if I can make any sort of difference, but I'm planning on trying… to smooth things over or something. I don't need the people I care about at war with each other.”

“Thanks, Betty.”

“Hey, I'm going to be heading out,” Veronica said as she pushed herself off the carpet. “Let me know the next time you need a getaway driver. Or a babysitter since those kids are adorable.”

“I think you'll have to fight Aunt Cheryl for that honor, V,” the blonde replied.

Hearing the name caused a giant smile to cross Cheryl's face, causing Toni's heart to warm at the sight.

“Well on nights they need a sitter and these two lover birds are _busy_ ,” Veronica amended.

“Okay that's enough of that,” Toni interjected as blush tinted her cheeks. “Thanks again, Veronica. Please don't comment on my sex life again, and have a safe drive home.”

“Mmhmm,” the raven haired girl gave a wink and made her way out of the house, pulling the door behind her as she left.

“You guys good down here for a while?” Betty inquired. “I want to go check on my mom and Polly. I'm sure they're still processing.”

“Were good,” Toni answered.

As soon as Betty left the room, Toni made her way over to Cheryl and squatted down before falling backwards into her butt next to Cheryl.

“Graceful, TT,” Cheryl laughed.

“I'm not trying to impress toddlers, Cher.”

The redhead pouted. “You hear that, little ones? Auntie Toni doesn't think you're worth impressing,” she said in a babyish voice while looking down at Dagwood in her arms.

Toni's head snapped up to look at Cheryl, her eyes wide. “What did you call me?”

“Oh… was that not okay? I just thought-”

Toni leaned over and placed a quick kiss on Cheryl's lips, effectively shutting her up in the process. “It was perfect.”

They were still only inches away when Betty reentered the room. “They're both sound asleep, which is a relief. Wait… did I just interrupt something. And in front of the children too?”

The two girls on the floor laughed, feeling only slightly embarrassed at being interrupted during the intimate exchange. “Nothing like _that_ was going on, cousin. Please try to keep your mind out of the gutter, particularly when there are young ears to consider.”

Betty eyed them curiously, “I'm going to choose to believe that. I've got to get these two out to bed. Cheryl, would you like to help? I bet they'd enjoy a bedtime story.”

“I’d love that,” Cheryl said gleefully.

Toni hopped up and helped Cheryl to her feet before two cousins collected the twins and heads upstairs. She began picking up the scattered toys and making herself busy. She ran out of things to do quickly and collapsed into an armchair.

She laughed thinking about the way her day had gone. When she had awoken that morning no one could have made her believe she'd be spending her entire day with Betty “Ponytail” Cooper and actually enjoy being in the blonde’s home. A lot had changed in such period of time, and she actually was growing to respect the girl. They had quite a ways to go before she would call her a friend, but if Betty was willing to put in the work then Toni could at least give her that chance. Plus, she'd do anything for Cheryl, and having her cousin in her life seemed to be something that really mattered to the redhead. And if something mattered that much to Cheryl then it mattered to Toni as well.

At some point Toni began to lose consciousness while she waited. She was startled awake roughly an hour later by Cheryl shaking her gently on the shoulder.

“Babe, it's time to go home.”

Toni yawned and blinked a few times to take in her surroundings. “Are we really in Betty Cooper’s house?”

Cheryl laughed and nodded.

“Weird,” Toni said as she sat up. “Twins all settled in?”

“Yes, Betty let me pick out the book to read them and Dagwood fell asleep in my arms. Toni, they are perfect.”

“I'm glad you finally got to spend some time with them, babe.”

“We need to do something about this farm though, TT. Poor Kevin is still wrapped up in it,” Cheryl proclaimed adamantly.

“Don't worry, Cheryl, we will,” Betty said from the hall. “Tomorrow. Tonight, lets all get some rest.”

“Sounds like a good plan to me,” Toni said as she stood completely from the chair and took Cheryl's hand in her own. “So, Cooper, you want to come around tomorrow to brainstorm the next plan of attack?”

“That sounds great, Toni. Thank you,” she gave a small smile.

It appeared the two had reached an understanding. While they would surely continue to butt heads, Toni had seen just how far Betty would go to protect her family. As long as she continued to include Cheryl in that, she supposed putting up with the blonde was something she could manage. At least she would try to for Cheryl.

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by a conversation with coopertopaz on Twitter


End file.
